The Governor’s Commission for Women held its North Texas pitch competition for women-owned businesses yesterday, for a chance to be awarded $7,500 in economic relief funds. Two winners were announced—with two radically different businesses and stories.

10-year-old fashion founder and CEO

Madison Denise is a 10-year-old fashion mogul from Waxahachie with her own online clothing boutique for tween girls. Her e-commerce fashion line Esined features “trendy, mom-approved looks” for any occasion. 

The pitch competition judges both awarded Madison and recognized her for her drive and spirit.

Tween fashions modeled by Madison Denise for her Esined e-commerce site [Photos: esinedxoxo.com]

Last year, Madison spoke to Voyage Dallas about her journey to become a kidpreneur. She told them she used to talk to her mother about starting a business while they watched “Shark Tank” together.

“I’ve always dreamed of having my own business,” she told Voyage Dallas. “One day she asked me if I really wanted to do it. I said, yes! I came back to her a few days later with a piece of paper and a plan. That was the beginning of Esined. From there we worked on building my dream business from the ground up. It’s been a really fun ride!”

Madison said her favorites things were doing the photo shoots and picking clothes for Esined—which is Denise spelled backwards.

“What sets us apart from the crowd is that all items are handpicked by me—an actual tween!” she told the publication. “I choose pieces that are chic and sweet, items that you wouldn’t find in a typical clothing store. My mom is there to make sure everything is chic yet “mom-approved.”

You can find out more by visiting Esined’s Instagram here and its Facebook page here.

Helping human trafficking survivors with wellness products

Vanessa Bouche of Hurst is the co-founder of Savhera, a line of essential oils, premium aromatherapy products, and diffusing jewelry. Her brand’s promise is “A new beginning in every bottle, for you and for her.”

The “her” in that promise is very important to Bouche. She’s a TCU professor and human trafficking scholar who’s led multiple studies in Delhi, India, investigating transnational human trafficking. 

Image from Savhera’s e-commerce website, which helps create opportunities for survivors of human trafficking in Delhi, India [Photo: Savhera.com]

During a visit to Delhi in 2017, Bouche learned that even if women were able to escape red light districts and their life in sex trafficking, finding dignified employment was a huge challenge. No organization was available to offer vocational training to help them gain desperately needed jobs.

So, in 2018 Bouche and Usri Roy, her Delhi associate, launched a business to help, and asked the women to name the company themselves. The women came up with Savhera—which means “morning,” “new dawn,” and “new beginning” in Hindi.

Image from Savhera’s e-commerce website, which helps create opportunities for survivors of human trafficking in Delhi, India [Photo: Savhera.com]

Since its founding, Savhera has turned the sales of organic aromatherapy products into jobs for underserved women, “so that everyone may enjoy a life of holistic flourishing.”

You can learn more about Savhera’s story here and check out its products here.

Image from Savhera’s e-commerce website, which helps create opportunities for survivors of human trafficking in Delhi, India [Photo: Savhera.com]

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.